While today I write you all with respect it saddens me that I must also
do so with even more shame, as every day I am becoming increasingly
ashamed as a voting Ontarian. Over the past two years the issue of the
need for provincial oversight over the Ontario Society for the
Protection of Animals has been covered by the media again and again. It
has been brought up in the Ontario legislature again and again. With
each passing day the issue is garnering more support from Ontario
voters, regardless of their political affiliations. What makes me so
ashamed is that any decision with regard to the current state of the
OSPCA is seemingly made along party lines. This is unacceptable, it must
be made with the best interests of the voiceless animal in mind.

I
will not go into details on past cases of abuses of power at the hands
of the OSPCA. There are many and if you are unaware at this point, after
years of the issue being brought to your attention through the media
and thousands of emails from concerned citizens, than shame on you for
not educating yourselves. If you are aware of the current situation and
have done little to rectify it, than you should feel even more shame. I
will say it is never too late. It is time to put party lines aside and do
what is right for the animals. To this end permit me to pose the
following questions :

Mr. McGuinty what is being done on your end
to work together with all represented parties to ensure that the OSPCA
is continually monitored by an external reviewing body? It was
acknowledged in the Ontario legislature that a "task force" has been put
in place. Have you been in contact with the individual or individuals
heading this task force? To date, what investigation has this task force
conducted with regard to the operations of the OSPCA? Will these
findings be made public to Ontarians in an act of full transparency? Are
you making any effort to ensure the OSPCA separates its duties of
serving as both an animal shelter and an Ontario enforcement agency,
duties which are a direct conflict of interest?

Ms. Meilleur what
are you doing to aid in the effort to ensure conituned provincial
oversight of the OSPCA? I read you cried when you heard about the recent
case of possible neglect at Marineland yet am wondering if you cried
when the OSPCA began killing 350 innocent animals at its headquarters
two years ago? It concerns me a great deal when you express such emotion
toward one situation yet seemingly turn a blind eye toward the other.
The Ontario government has granted next to unlimited power to an
organization to protect the animals of this province, yet this same
organization consistently lies to the public and abuses that power. With
much sympathy toward the dozens of animals at Marineland who have
apparently suffered abuse, the OSPCA has killed hundreds, dare I say
thousands of animals in recent years. To that end Ms. Meilleur you
should be weeping rather than crying.

Mr. Klees I respect your
efforts in bringing this issue to the public and thank you. Rest assured
if the rest of you were to do the same I would be expressing the same
level of gratitude. Mr. Klees do you intend to continue with your
efforts to ensure the Ontario government closely monitors the OSPCA?

Ms.
Macdonald I have great concern that you still hold a position of power
within the OSPCA. Under your watch and the watch of other senior
officials, many of whom were directly responsible for the killing of
nearly 100 animals two years ago, the OSPCA continues to lack
transparency. In all likelihood if two years ago the OSPCA had fallen
under the scrutiny of an external governing body, none of you would
still be employed at the organization. I ask you to prove me wrong.
Exactly what has the present board and upper management of the OSPCA
done to adhere to the recommendation of the external report that was
commissioned early last year, a report that was hidden from the public
until the media exposed the situation? If you all still choose to remain
in power, then you must prove to Ontarians that you deserve to be. You
must prove that you are making improvements and that you feel deep
sorrow that the direct actions of the board and management have caused
such suffering to Ontarians, and more importantly to the animals. Should
you do so just maybe Ontarians who feel let down will be able to
forgive you all. I know I will try but to date you have given Ontarians
no option other than to hold on to any hope that soon you and other
members of the board and upper management will either respectfully
resign or be removed from your positions.

I wish to thank all of
you for reading my concerns, and sincerely hope that you prove to
Ontarians that you have taken them to heart. There is only one way you
can demonstrate that you have done so, and that is through your actions.
So far only one of you can say that he has done just that. This is not
about money. This is not about furthering a political agenda. This is
about protecting those who presently do not have a voice, and to an equal degree this is about the legacy of a caring Ontario that
does all in its power to help those who through no choice of their own,
can not help themselves. I can assure you when it comes to the issue of
animal welfare Ontarians want that to be our legacy. The question is do
you, and are you willing to take action to see it through?

I have received a message (September 3) from MPP Frank Klees stating that he will continue to press for oversight & accountability of the OSPCA, and expressing his disappointment in the government for ignoring the report on the problems within the OSPCA.

Today (September 5) I received a message from the Premier. I hope this is a sign that all politicians are willing to put differences aside and work toward the goals of "reforming" the OSPCA and monitoring the organization so it can best serve its purpose to help Ontario animals. While of course I will respect the confidentiality of the communication I can say I thank the Premier for his reply, and will do my best (as so many of you are doing) to keep the pressure on.